Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-03-17
AMERICAN DRINKS IN ENGLAND.
Experience of the american Bar" Pro-
prf.tor-The Mint JuIep Story.

Experience of the american Bar" Pro-
pristor-The Mint Julep Story.
GWhen l opened the American bar in
Liverpool, such thing as cocktail, a sour,
q iulep. a cobbler, fzz, or even plain rye or
bourbon whiskey was something that had
been heard of but by few, and tasted by none,
among those who were to become my imme-
diate and regular customers Brandy and
soda, 'alf and 'elf, gin, hot toddy, porter,
and ale, were the favorite and only tipples, as
they had been for untold generations. Ny
bar, backed by true New York display Of
slittering glassware, plate glass mirrors, and
bottles of many colored liquids, with white
coated handsome young men ready to serve
the customers, in place of the traditional bar
maid, was flocked to as if it had been mu-
scum Of rare curiosities.
sBut my American drinks went begging.
The old time English beverages were still
good enough for the loyal Britons, and when
the persistent tips they rendered the bar
tenders were as peTsistently refused, it seemed
to appear to them as if the very bulwarks OF
the nation were being assailed, and that the
throne itself was tottering. But by degrees,
as exigencies occurred which enabled me to
demonstrate to customers the efficacy OF
Yankee decoctions in cases of expanded head,
stomachic arrangement superinduced by too
much prolonged daIliance with merciless
English tipples, and other physical and mental
disturbances which, 1 am frank to say, would
ever have remained unknown had there never
been either American or other bar, they came
to recognize the fact that if there could be
any excuse for patronizing bar at all, 1t
could only be found in patronizing one where
Yankee beverages could be had One prac-
teal customer, in referring to the coming
around of the British public TO this stage,
said that it was as if they first depsed, then
pitied, then embraced.
Il had one customer who developed great
fondness for the mint julep. No matter
whether the weather was hot or cold, he
wanted his mint julep, and he wanted 1t with
amazing frequency. He was man OF con
sequence, and thought he would certainly
be able to appreciate an American joke as
well as an American drink, so one day re-
lated to him that bold but respectable anec-
dote about the man who went to Virginia,
before the war and became acquainted With
a hospitable resident The resident had plenty
of good material for conviviality, and tfS
visitor, having a recipe for the concocting OF
mint julep, thougnt that his host was vast
ing both stuff and opportunity in being
ignorant of the existence Of the julep. The
visitor found that there was q fine bed of
mint on the plantation, and he led his host,
accompanied by jug and other ingredients,
to the spot There he brewed the julep and
captured the planters heart The visitor
taught the Virginian row to distil this here
tofore to him unknown nectar, and in time
took his departure. A year later he had
business again in Virginia, and he lost no
time in hunting up his old host. He went to
the plantation. His knock being answered
by an old negro, he asked the servant for his
master.
a'ol marss dead, sah,' replied the old
negro. 'Dah was white man come long
h'yah bout yea go an teach OF mars to
drink grass in he lickah, an oil mars done
ewan drink hissef to def, sah.'
II told that to my julep loving customer,
expecting to be rewarded with an appre-
ciative laugh. He was imbibing one of his
beverages at the time. He quit drinking,
looked solemn, cast regretful look at the
mint in his glass, and went out and never
came back He had taken the story literally,
and drew moral from it at once."-New
York Sun.